The Armour Archive

Why is fluted armor better? I have yet to hear a good explanation.

Do the ridges made it more firm, less likely to cave in, better at absorbing impact?

Fluting increases the rigidity. It can also function to guide thrusts away from vital areas. It looks shmexy.

Kilkenny wrote:Fluting increases the rigidity. It can also function to guide thrusts away from vital areas. It looks shmexy.

shmexy LOL, yes it does.

Flutes make a piece more rigid. Take a look at the gas tank under your car, same idea. The fluted area resists bending as though it were a thicker material the same way corrigated roofing can be thin but will support the weight of a man easily. Uncorrigated won't unless much thicker. However, fluting can also be designed to deflect point of weapons from vital areas or for purely decorative reasons. All of these are seen on medieval armour.

Fluting makes it orders of magnitude more stiff and durable.

If you take a piece of notebook paper, and fold it like an accordion (back and forth, back and forth), and then set it on it's side, you can put a lot of weight on top of it before it crushes. Cardboard is corrugated to make it rigid. Tin roofs are, too.

... and yeah, it's very sexy. To me, high goth armour is some of the most amazing art ever.

Thank you all, that answers my question.